(September 8, 2012 at 9:58 am)Sami_23 Wrote: Alright, so we all know the Taj Mahal was built by Muslims. It looks like a mosque, has a minaret, has the word 'Allah' at the top of it, has Quranic verses in literally every room inside. Not to mention there are mosques near it indicating a religious importance.
Of course, nowadays it's treated as a historical monument rather than a religious one. People have tried to take credit away from the Muslims by saying Hindus were the one who made it and also claiming it's a Hindu temple. These have been proven to be a hoax, thankfully.
In my opinion, it should be known as an Islamic architecture. Even Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom agree to that in their book 'The Art and Architecture of Islam (1994)'. There are more authors who agree to the fact that it should be known as an Islamic architecture.
So my question is, should celebrities/visitors be told that it's a religious palace rather than a historical palace? There is much more to the Taj Mahal than a man building it for his wife. It's a religious palace (infleunced by Islam) IMO.
But it is not a religious palace. It's a mausoleum - albeit an extravagant one. Its a great piece of Mughal architecture with no specific religious connotations. The credit doesn't go to muslims, it goes to Shah Jahan and other architects.
And that is exactly what anyone visiting it is told. That it's the crown jewel of Mughal architecture and monument to the emperor's love for his wife and what cultural influences can be seen in various parts.
